As the students conclude midterm week, it is time for us to update you on many of the campus happenings and upcoming events and some administrative updates for you to be aware.
Throughout the past week, I continue to have opportunities to engage with your student.
This past weekend, I hosted a RISK game tourney, volunteered with 300 Quinnipiac fraternity and sorority students performing service in the community, enjoyed the music acts Marc Bassey and Double Camp at the Student Program Board’s and WQAQ's Fall Fest, and hosted Cookies in the Commons, as I do every other Thursday night. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching our students engage and connect as the COVID-19 era remains a part of our collective daily activities.
The Recreation and Wellness building is getting closer to opening. The grounds have been completed and some sections of the building are almost complete. We still are hoping the vast majority of the building will be open to all in the month of November.
Registration for the spring semester opens at the end of the month, the Quinnipiac Theatre production is next week, the housing process for rising seniors occurs next month, and the student pub (On the Rocks is open for business) and all students are invited for a night of a restaurant atmosphere with entertainment and great food, run by students – for students!
We also invite all parents/family members to attend the Parent Academy on Wednesday, October 26 at 7 p.m. We will have our partners Hartford HealthCare as our guests. The webinar is open to all. (Registration for this event has passed).
We at Quinnipiac feel very lucky to have your student as a member of our community. If at any time, you have any concerns, feedback or ideas, please feel free to reach out at QUParents@Quinnipiac.edu or to me directly at cxo@qu.edu.
In this Issue:
This month's update highlights some of the best things at Quinnipiac, including:
Five tips on helping your student get involved
Get in touch with our Student Engagement administrators
Quinnipiac Dining serves virtual celebrity chef and pumpkin decorating
Thanksgiving break dining hours announced
QU announces flu clinics, hikes to yoga on Sleeping Giant
Information about registering for January and Spring classes
University concludes Wellness Week with LIFE STAR helicopter visit
Meet the alumnus who just launched a nationally broadcast news program
What’s new from Student Engagement
Get connected! Five tips on how to help your student find involvement opportunities
Some families and parents may be hearing from their students that there’s “nothing to do” on campus, and we want to remind you all of a few opportunities shared during Orientation this year to connect your bobcat to everything offered here within Campus Life!
LIFE STAR lands at Quinnipiac as part of Wellness Week activities
LIFE STAR, a critical care helicopter service that responds to and provides air transport for a variety of patients who require care at a tertiary care facility, descended on Quinnipiac’s rugby field to conclude Wellness Week. The emergency response team taught students about emergency medical response.
Students also had the opportunity to tour the helicopter and took part in CPR and Stop the Bleed education provided by Hartford HealthCare’s Emergency Medical Services and Quinnipiac’s Student EMS.
Quinnipiac’s Student Health Services partnered with Hartford HealthCare to help you feel your best. We are located on campus and ready to help with your medical needs.
The Office of Counseling Services provides a range of clinical services and mental health support at no cost to undergraduate and graduate students — including evaluations, individual counseling and group therapy.
Mental Health First Aid and QPR Training are still being offered to students and staff until the end of May.
Classes are offered year-round on all three campuses, including Spinning, body sculpting, Zumba, Bootcamp, Core Conditioning, yoga and Pilates.
Spring free group fitness classes begin on Sunday, January 28 and will run 7 days a week on all 3 campuses. Students can sign up for a class 24 hours prior to its start time on the RecWell website or on the RecWell app (Apple or Google Play).
Regularly scheduled fitness classes run until May 4.
We will begin a shorter exam week schedule of classes running May 5-8 which will include Spinning®, yoga and mindfulness.
Come paint a terra cotta pot and plant something green in it on the RecWell Lawn. While you are there, play with our lawn games, have a snack and de-stress before finals week begins!
Patron Satisfaction Survey
We have 497 responses to our patron satisfaction survey. We hope to use this information to improve the student experience at the fitness centers.
Fitness center employment opportunities
Students with federal work study will be able to apply to work at the fitness center this coming fall via MyQ starting in late March.
Quinnipiac Campus Recreation Award
The Recreation and Wellness Center received the Outstanding Facility Award at the 2024 NIRSA National Conference.
Fitness Center Summer Hours
Summer hours for all fitness centers will begin on May 12.
Hours will be Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) is a club on campus and an amazing resource for parents. If you suspect that your child may be struggling mentally or emotionally, remember the five Ts: Tell, Test, Teach, Talk, Take Action.
Tell your child they can come to you with any problem
Test their academic health by checking their end of semester grades
Teach them how to recognize depression and anxiety
Talk with them more often or visit if they are in distress
Take action if your student is experiencing high-risk mental health concerns
What is CARE? The Community, Assessment, Response and Evaluation (CARE) Team is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our community through proactive, coordinated, and deliberate approaches by identifying, assessing, managing and reducing any student interpersonal or behavioral concerns.
The CARE Team is a partnership of various university offices that is supported by the Office of the Dean of Students. Team members include all residential life professional staff, select staff from counseling, student health services, graduate student affairs, religious life, fraternity and sorority life, veteran and military affairs, Title IX, department of cultural and global engagement and student affairs.
The CARE team meets weekly to review and discuss new referrals, ongoing cases and the best course of action to support students of concern.
CARE referrals are submitted by faculty, staff, students and community members.
All university residence areas close for the Thanksgiving Break on Friday, November 18, 2022 at 6 p.m. and reopen on Sunday, November 27 at 10 a.m.
Students may request to stay on campus for part or all of the break if they are international students, if they are from a non-drivable distance, or if they are required to be on campus due to an academic, athletic or university commitment. Students requesting to stay past 6 p.m. on Friday, November 18 or to return to campus earlier than November 27 at 10 a.m. must submit a Thanksgiving Break Housing Request, which is available on MyHousing.
The deadline for break housing requests is Friday, November 4, at 5 p.m. Students approved to remain on campus may be required to relocated to a different residence area for the duration of the break. The university will be closed November 24 and 25 with no services provided except for Public Safety. Students can reach Public Safety at any time by calling 203-582-6200.
Upcoming Key Dates
Thanksgiving Break Closing: Friday, November 18 at 6 p.m
Thanksgiving Break Opening: Sunday, November 27 at 10 a.m.
Winter Break Closing: Friday, December 16 at 6 p.m.
Senior Housing Selection Process
The Office of Residential Life is pleased to announce the Senior Housing Selection Process for the 2023-24 academic year, which will take place on November 10, 2022. We look forward to the opportunity to host your senior student in Quinnipiac housing for the upcoming year.
Please note: Sophomore housing selection for current first-year students and junior housing selection for current sophomore students will take place in the Spring semester.
A personalized invitation will be sent to current junior students in the next several days. The invitation will include detailed information about the process and about Senior Housing options in Quinnipiac-owned off-campus houses and Eastview. To participate, students will need to review and sign the Resident Student Housing Contract and pay a housing reservation fee ($500).
To participate in the online housing selection process, students must complete the contract and pay the reservation fee between October 24 to November 6, 2022. Housing contracts and Reservation Fees will be accepted on MyQ under the Student Life tab, then Residential Life, then MyHousing. To complete the contract and pay the housing reservation fee, students will log in to MyHousing and select the House Requests and Contracts tab, then select Housing Contract. After completing the contract, the student will be directed to the online payment portal.
If you or your student have any questions about the Housing Selection Process, Housing and Residential Life staff are available in the Student Affairs Center (behind the Bobcat Den) weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Questions may also be emailed to ResidentialLife@qu.edu, or you can reach us at 203-582-8666.
Fast Facts
In the past 4 weeks, Residential Life has successfully completed 150 residential curriculum weekday programs, five large scale weekend programs supporting all of Mount Carmel for alternative safe night activities.
First Year Residential Experience (FYRE) had a fantastic turnout of 100-plus students participating in My Room is Hate Free, where they practiced meditation and mindfulness techniques to help navigate and identify safe spaces within campus.
FYRE also had another successful program of Self-Care is Not Selfish and Sip and Paint Your Identity.
Sophomore Success kicked off two career focused programs in the student center for our second years of Cover Letter and Resume Building and Professional Development and Networking.
Residential Life has identified 31 residential students from the state of Florida including 17 from areas directly impacted by the Hurricane Ian and is conducting outreach to offer support to those affected by the storm.
From September 12 to October 3, Residential Life has been assigned 47 CARE case and 31 conduct cases for a total of 78 cases. This is an increase of 10 from the same period last year in which there were 40 CARE and 28 conduct for a total of 68, 14.7% increase.
York Hill completed a successful banner-making program with its largest single attendance program of the year with over 120 students attending.
Dining Updates
Meal Plans
How it Works
Our dining plans are based on a declining balance system. All items in the dining halls are sold a la carte. Instead of a meal-based system, students pay for each item with meal points on their QCard just as they would in a traditional restaurant.
Stay on Track
Students can track their points on the QCard Balance page on MyQ. Students can determine if they are on budget by referencing the Dining Meal Plan Budget Tracker which shows a suggested balance week-by-week throughout the semester.
Periodically, the One Stop office sends an email to students reminding them to check their balance and compare it to the budget tracker to ensure they don’t under or overspend.
Manage Points
Points Roll Over from Fall to Spring
If a student has points left over at the end of the fall term, they will roll over to the spring term. All points expire at the end of the spring term and balances are cleared on May 31.
Transfer Points
Students can transfer points to or from another student. The student transferring the points should complete the meal points transfer form on the meal points transfer site.
Supplement with QCash
If a student runs out of meal points, parents can supplement with QCash. The dining facilities accept QCash and credit cards. QCash acts as a debit account separate from your student's meal plan, and you may add QCash to your student's account at any time by making a guest deposit on the Transact page. In addition to each dining location on our three campuses, QCash is accepted at more than 30 establishments in the surrounding area.
One Stop provides seamless and integrated student administrative services throughout the entire student life cycle. One Stop includes cross-functional student solutions for:
records and enrollment services
managing student finances
parking and transportation services
One Stop works closely with and can provide preliminary information about financial aid, Q-Cards, housing and dining. Advanced registrar functions such as degree conferrals, Dean’s List and diplomas will continue to be administered through the Registrar.
We have a long-standing commitment to student's success and well-being at Quinnipiac. Mental health is an increasing struggle for young people nationwide. That's why we've partnered with the JED Foundation to bring the JED Campus initiative to Quinnipiac. JED is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to young adult mental health. Through its programs JED seeks to protect the emotional health of and prevent suicide among teens and young adults. Students are at the center of this project. Our goal is to incorporate the student experience and perspective into all aspects of this initiative. We have student representatives on the committee leading this project, and we'll be asking for student input along the way.
The Healthy Minds Study is the first opportunity to make your voice heard
What it is
The survey is open to all current students at Quinnipiac and is a key part of the JED Campus initiative to prevent suicide and promote help-seeking behavior.
Why it matters
The goal is to better understand student mental health, habits and sources of support. It will help give us a baseline understanding about mental health at Quinnipiac. By participating, you will be providing valuable information that will improve your student experience at Quinnipiac.
How to participate
Check your email for your unique survey link from the Healthy Minds Network between October 12 and November 7.
The survey will arrive in your Quinnipiac email inbox from Kerry Patton from the email address healthyminds-qu@umich.edu
The survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete and is anonymous.
About the Healthy Minds Network
For 15 years, the network has administered the Healthy Minds Study, a population-level survey of post-secondary student mental health, collecting over half a million responses from students at more than 450 colleges and universities. The network’s research efforts have expanded into other facets of mental health in educational settings, including the role and health of faculty and staff.
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Prospective parents and families are invited with their prospective undergraduate student to explore our stunning campuses, experience our expansive and inclusive communities, get a feel for our immersive academic programs and meet engaged and invested faculty and students.
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